


Layton vs the Masked Gentleman

by orphan_account



Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: Blood Loss, Gen, Swordfighting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:27:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22390252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The Masked Gentleman reveals his true identity and plans to go through with his biggest miracle yet. Hershel decides that he must be the one to stop him, by whatever means necessary.
Relationships: Randall Ascot & Henry Ledore, Randall Ascot & Hershel Layton
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	Layton vs the Masked Gentleman

**Author's Note:**

> this was inspired by an ask posted to layton-opinions on tumblr. i can't find the link anymore, but basically it was a post about how cool it was if layton and the masked gentleman had a swordfight like descole and layton did! i hope i did it justice.

Hershel landed on the floor of the Reunion Inn and made sure Luke was safe beside him. Everything had happened so fast, and it was hard to process. Was the Masked Gentleman really who he thought he was? And if so, why had he targeted Luke of all people? Surely he must know how much Luke meant to Hershel.

“Bravo!” The Masked Gentleman sauntered over as Emmy joined her friends. “You risked your life and saved your friend.”

Hershel stepped towards the man. “Yes. Well, as a friend once said: ‘no risk, no glory’.” He was tired of this charade. He just wanted his friend back.

“Well then, I guess I don’t need this anymore.”

Sadness washed over him as Randall took off the mask he had been hiding behind. How could his best friend become so… twisted?

“Randall!” Angela, Henry, and Mordy had apparently shown up too. However, Hershel didn’t take his eyes off of his friend.

“Hmph. Well, isn’t this quite the reunion?”

Hershel glanced to Emmy and Luke. The boy was a step behind her. Clearly, he hadn’t had a great first impression. Hershel’s expression hardened. He couldn’t let him hurt either of them, or anyone else for that matter. 

He took a step closer to them. “Why are you doing this, Randall?”

Luke jumped at the change in Hershel’s tone. He rarely became angry.

“Henry stole everything from me! He deserves to feel the pain I felt for all those years. He stole my fortune, the Azran treasure, and my  _ Angela. _ ”

“Randall, it’s not like that!” Angela called across the room.

A sound almost like a growl escaped from Randall’s lips. Hershel adjusted his stance. Randall looked like he could snap at any moment.

“Don’t lie to me! You married Henry like I was nothing!”

Angela opened her mouth, but it was like she couldn’t speak. She began to cry quietly. It was heartbreaking to see her best friend act this way in front of her. How could he not believe her?

Henry held her while she cried, trying very hard not to cry himself.

Randall laughed, shaking his head. “See what I mean?”

“Randall.” Hershel hoped that bringing Randall’s attention back to him would help somewhat. He seemed to become angrier the longer he thought about the Ledores together.

“Yes, my dear Hershel?”

He winced. The nickname brought back so many wonderful memories, but he shoved those to the back of his mind. Randall was a different person now. “For eighteen years, I mourned your death, and to have you arrive here after so long is, ah, difficult to process. Could you bring us up to speed?”

“Of course. I hope you have tissues ready ‘cause this one’s a real tearjerker.”

As he told the story of the years he was missing, Hershel couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. From what he could make of it, Randall had been a puppet this whole time. False ideas were planted in his head, and he was blackmailed. Pure and simple. And Hershel had a pretty good idea of who the blackmailer could be. However, there were more pressing matters to deal with now.

A smirk reappeared on Randall’s face once he had finished speaking, and Hershel knew that this wasn’t over.

“The letters…” Luke mumbled so only the professor could hear him. “Do you think…?”

Luke didn’t need to finish his sentence for Hershel to know what, or rather who, he was referring to. “I fear the worst, my boy.”

Randall’s voice almost boomed in the spacious circular room, and Luke once again shrank behind Hershel. “This closes my tale of woe. But we still have a few tears to shed!”

_ This cannot be good,  _ Hershel thought. He turned behind him to see Henry with a steeled expression. It seemed they were on the same wavelength.

“Henry, you will bear witness as I ruin you, just as you ruined me.”

And with that, he fled. Not to the open doors in front of him, but to another exit behind.

“Master Randall!”

But Henry’s calls were in vain. Randall didn’t even turn back at the mention of his name.

There had been an anger building up within Hershel ever since Randall had put Luke in danger. He wasn’t usually one to act on emotional impulses, but he had a feeling that this could be useful. If Randall could see the pain he was inflicting on others, then maybe he would finally listen to the real reason Henry made this town.

“Professor! Where are you going?”

Hershel had taken off in a run, leaving the rest behind. He knew he should’ve warned them, but there was no time. Whatever Randall was planning, it would be grander and more dangerous than the previous miracles. He would do whatever was possible in order to stop him. Keeping that in mind, he ran into a side room and grabbed two swords. He wasn’t usually one to resort to violence, but perhaps the two of them could have one more fencing match, for old time’s sake.

He found Randall on the roof of the Reunion Inn, surveying the city lights. His smirk hadn’t left his lips, but Hershel could see pain there.

“Randall! You need to stop this madness!”

He spun around on one foot, dangerously close to the edge. Hershel tried not to think about what would happen if he fell. He couldn’t go through this again.

“Oh, Hershel. I knew you wouldn’t understand. You really think Henry cares about me after all he put me through? I don’t think so.”

“You have it all wrong! He cares about you more than anyone!”

Randall chuckled. “Always the optimist. Now, please excuse me. I have an announcement to make.”

Hershel couldn’t see from where he stood, but there seemed to be a crowd of people who had gathered on the balcony. He assumed Emmy, Luke, Angela, and Henry were there also.

Randall began to speak, but Hershel didn’t listen. It seemed that Randall was far beyond discussion. He went back and retrieved the swords he had left in the stairwell and walked slowly towards Randall. He wasn’t sure how this would pan out, but he knew he had to do something.

Randall gasped and stopped mid-sentence as he felt something sharp graze his shoulder. He turned around and laughed as he figured out what Hershel was trying to do. It was almost sweet.

“I didn’t know you were such a sore loser. Was the only reason you came up here to finally win a match against me?”

Hershel smiled. “I won more than one, I’ll have you know.”

“That’s not what I remember.” He sighed, giving in. “Well, I guess this miracle can wait if you’re so desperate.”

Hershel threw a sword to Randall which clattered to his feet. He rolled his eyes. “Not a great throw, Hersh.”

“If I win, you have to listen to what I have to say. Do we have a deal?”

Randall’s eyes widened. “Getting straight to the point. All right. We have a deal. And if I win, I will finally destroy this town and have my revenge.”

Hershel could sense Randall’s anger coming back to the surface so he decided to move forward quickly. “Deal.”

They stepped forward and shook hands. Hershel could hear murmurs of surprise from below, but this was the only way he could think of that will help Randall see the truth.

As Randall and Hershel began to fence, Hershel began to feel like a teenager again. He remembered their practices in Stansbury, and how sweaty those outfits were after only a couple of matches. Randall was feeling the same, although he would never admit it. He almost felt his anger of Henry slipping away…

“No!”

Hershel stopped in surprise, his sword falling close to Randall’s wrist. He pulled it back in time, but he kept staring at Randall who had his head in his hands.

“I know what you’re doing, Layton! You’re trying to make me forget. You’re just as bad as Henry! You can’t let me have this!”

“Randall, please-”

“No! Don’t speak!” 

He raised his sword with a glint in his eyes. Hershel knew that could only mean trouble.

He started to jab and swing more violently before, and Hershel could only just hold him off. He began to worry about what he had started.

“Randall, please listen! Henry always cared about you, even when you went missing all those years ago!”

“Ha! Don’t make me laugh!” Both of them were already out of breath. It was clear that they weren’t as fit as they used to be.

“He built this town for your return!” He had to say this now otherwise this could escalate into something way beyond his control.

“Bullshit.” He fought harder. He wished Hershel would just  _ give up already. _

Hershel’s arm was beginning to tire and a few times Randall had almost caught him. He couldn’t do it.

Finally, Randall cut Hershel’s arm. It was a small cut, but it was enough for Hershel to stagger back. Blood was staining his jacket, and the sleeve was ripped. Hershel and Randall stared at each other. All the anger that Randall had suddenly vanished, like it had never even been there. He didn’t think he would actually hurt him. He had just needed someone to take out his anger on.

Hershel was beginning to feel a little light headed. There wasn’t so much blood loss, but the tiredness didn’t help. He continued to look at his friend in disbelief.

“Hersh, I… I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to. I-”

Hershel held up a hand. “You can apologise later. Now, you need to listen.” It had to be now.

Even though Randall had won the fight, he had forgotten completely about their deal. “Of course.”

The group watching below had seen the fight in action, and had gasped when Hershel had been cut. Angela had to hold Emmy back, who looked like she wouldn’t mind going up there herself. Henry did the same to Luke. In the back of their minds, they both knew that Hershel would be okay, and he would fix this. Randall would definitely listen.

Hershel sat down and invited Randall to do the same. They sat in silence. Randall watched Hershel as he tore another part of his sleeve to wrap around his arm. He was dumbfounded, trying to process what had just happened.

“Henry was never trying to hurt you and, in taking away everything he made for you, you would hurt him and also yourself.”

“I don’t understand,” Randall muttered. He couldn’t stop glancing at Hershel’s bleeding arm.  _ I can’t believe I did that. _

“Henry built Monte d’Or, hoping one day for you to return here.”

Randall finally looked Hershel in the eye. “For me? Why would he do something like that? Everyone thought I was dead.”

Hershel winced. He was part of that group, and he didn’t like to think that he left Randall without even hearing Henry’s side. He moved to London almost immediately after he fell into the seemingly bottomless chasm.

“He never gave up on you, Randall. Somewhere in his heart, he knew you were destined to return here.” He smiled. “Why do you think he called it the Reunion Inn?”

Tears swam in Randall’s eyes. He couldn’t believe it. Henry really did this for him? But a thought kept his tears at bay.  _ He still took Angela from you. _

“What about Angela? Henry still married her. Did he even think-?!”

Hershel cleared his throat loudly, and Randall stopped talking, despite the fire that was reigniting within him. “There is no need to rush to conclusions.”

Randall sneered. “And why might that be,  _ Hershel? _ ”

“Because Henry married Angela to save her for you. Angela was telling me that it was hard to keep rejecting Dalston’s advances once he moved to Monte d’Or, so Henry saved her from that. He knew that you would return, and so he married Angela for you.”

Hearing that, Randall couldn’t keep in his tears any longer. He bowed his head and began to cry. How could he have been so blind? He had listened to a complete stranger rather than his closest friends. He felt disgusting.

“Henry, Angela. I’m… so sorry,” he sobbed.

Hershel shuffled over and put his good arm around Randall’s shoulders and waited until he had calmed down. “I am glad you understand now.”

“Yes. I do understand.” He took a deep breath and dried his eyes with a sleeve. “And sorry for cutting you, Hersh. I really didn’t mean to.”

Hershel chuckled. “It’s quite alright, Randall. I’m sure it’ll be fine once a doctor has seen to it.”

“Of course. I’ll take you there.”

“I’m sure I can manage,” he smiled. “You need to apologise to the Ledores, after all.”

Randall nodded. “Yes.”

They stood up together, and Randall brushed the dirt off his trousers. “Who was that boy you were with? You know... the one I kind of left hanging on a rope way up in the air.”

“I think you would be talking about Luke.” 

“Right. I need to apologise to him too. I gave him quite a fright before.”

Hershel nodded. “Yes, indeed. That would be best.”

“It looks like I’ve got my work cut out for me.”

The two friends made their way down the few flights of stairs to where the group were still standing, worried to death for both of them. Despite the physical pain Hershel was feeling, he felt happy that he had got through to Randall. Now, they can start making things right again.

**Author's Note:**

> also, can i just say i hate how angela is treated as an object in mm? like henry was "saving" angela by marrying her so randall could marry her when he came back? nah, i don't like that. i know that angela didn't want to marry dalston, and that's probably what would've happened if henry hadn't stepped in, but the fact that angela was made to marry anyone at all isn't great. but i guess this is the '60s and views on marriage were different back then. even so, that doesn't make it right. angela isn't an object! i didn't really know how to skirt past that in the fanfic though as that was one of the big things that henry did for randall so,,, i did include it, but i don't agree with the whole sentiment. also, randall saying angela was "his"? fuck off, mate
> 
> anyway, rant over. hope you like it!


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